Shokai
by SakuraBlossom0989
Summary: Because everyone has their first times, and those memories are important to us. Don't forget them, treasure them in your hearts :) Series of one-shots of the CCS character's first times. (SxS ExT and many more)
1. 1: Arigatou

_**Kura: Hi everyone! After receiving such heart-warming reviews on '**_**First Time'**_** I decided to write another one-shot! **_

_**Sakura: What about your exams?**_

_**Kura: Yeah… About that, I might not update that fast due to exams starting from 27**__**th**__** May. **_

_**Syaoran: Anyways, this had better be good.**_

_**Kura: Here we go! Enjoy!**_

_Tomoyo Daidoji was not an ordinary girl. Maybe it was her magnificent beauty, or maybe her hypnotizing voice. Either way, everyone who knew her all agreed on one thing, Tomoyo Daidoji was flawless._

_That is, everyone except Sakura Kinomoto. _

_Sakura would see her as a friend; she wouldn't judge her by her looks, or her money. Instead, she would just happily run over to her and greet her with a bone-crushing hug. Tomoyo didn't really understand at first, but gradually they became closer and closer, and soon Tomoyo couldn't even imagine life without her best friend._

_All those times those other girls, who envied Tomoyo would insult her, would bully her; it was always Sakura who would come running and fix everything with her bright, happy smile. It was Sakura who would help her up and grin widely, as they'd walk side by side to class._

_Tomoyo was someone who was confessed to nearly every month. She was also the girl who would reject them with a soft smile. For her, there was only one person who was her most important, and that was Sakura. _

_By the time she was in middle school, Tomoyo had taken up filming as her new hobby, as well as designing. She used that camcorder as her eyes, every day was recorded, every memory stored and every smiled captured on film. It made her heart swell with happiness, and her eyes twinkle brightly like stars at night._

_Before, she had never noticed the beautiful dresses in her closet, but now with every glance she sent the closet, her mind would instantly think of a new dress to give to Sakura. Kinomoto Sakura had changed her, and Tomoyo couldn't be happier than she was when she was with Sakura._

_In high school, her camcorder, her 'eyes', watched silently as her sweet, innocent Sakura fell in love for the first time. It hurt, knowing that she wouldn't be Sakura's most important person, but those emerald eyes that would shine brightly, that excited greeting that she would get, none of them changed. In fact, Tomoyo could have sworn that her Sakura was glowing, and she felt proud, like a parent who has seen their children meet their soul mates. It was a nostalgic feeling, but she treasured it more than anything else._

_Sakura's new love life had given way to one of her own. Tomoyo's heart, which at first was filled with only compassion for her best friend, had opened up for the first time. For the first time, her cheeks had flushed at the sight of him, for the first time her eyes would anxiously dart around, looking for someone other than Sakura. For the first time, Tomoyo Daidoji had felt what it was like to truly be in love._

"Mommy, mommy, what are you looking at?" A small, innocent voice chirped from beside her chair. Tomoyo Hiiragizawa, now 25 years old, smiled at her daughter, Yuri, named after her favorite flower. The small child was excited for her upcoming 8th birthday, and her amethyst eyes, just like her mother's, were wide with excitement.

"Ah, this? It's an album of when mommy was little. You want to see it, Yuri-chan?" Tomoyo looked down fondly at her daughter, and her smile widened when her eyes trailed back to the album. Yuri excitedly nodded and Tomoyo let out a small laugh.

"Here's one of when mommy was in elementary school, it was our graduation day. After this I went to middle school."

_It was of the last day in elementary school, and Tomoyo had gotten a camcorder as a present from her mother. She didn't know what to do with it, but when Sakura came running excitedly towards her, she knew at that moment what she would do with this camcorder. She would gather up all the memories of Sakura and her, and keep them safe with her to remember. Her memories of elementary school ended with a 'cheese!' and them grinning, each making a peace sign. They had taken a step, and were closer to their dreams. They had grown._

"This one is of when we were having our exams, so we studied together at a café."

_That day Tomoyo had to suppress her giggles at the sight of a ghostly pale Sakura, looking at all the notebooks with dread. It was so amusing that at the end of the study session, she couldn't help but take a picture. The stress of exams seemed to disappear from their faces and both smiled, holding up their textbooks. They had worked hard and had passed their exams with flying colors – if you put aside Sakura's mathematics exam, that is._

"Oh, this is my favorite! It was our high school graduation; we were going to different universities. This was our last picture."

_It was a moment to remember. They had sat under a Sakura tree, and though their eyes were welling up with tears, a triumphant grin was shown on both faces. They had done it. They had grown up, and this day of tears and smiles was their proof. That they were eternally best friends and nothing could change that, and that they would achieve their dreams._

"Look! It's daddy!"

_That graduation picture also had another specialty; it was the first picture with other people. Two, to be exact. The first, his amber eyes cloudy but strong as his arms were wrapped around Sakura's shoulders, his messy chestnut hair for once combed properly. That was Sakura's important person, her soul mate. The other had stunning, mysterious sapphire eyes and silky midnight blue hair that was – as usual – parted in the middle. His glasses were in Tomoyo's hands, and her fingers laced with his. That was the person who had filled her heart. Her important person._

"Nee, mommy, who is the person with you in all the pictures?" Yuri asked.

"She's mommy's dear, best friend. I love her a lot."

"She has really pretty eyes. What's her name?"

"I really love her eyes. Also, her name is Sakura."

That night when Yuri had fallen asleep, Tomoyo crept out of her daughter's room, and opened the album. Reaching the graduation picture, her eyes became glassy as she flipped the card over, to see the message she had written for her best friend.

"Tomoyo, so you were here. What are you looking at?" Her husband, Eriol Hiiragizawa, now 28, came into the room and looked over her shoulder at the picture. His sapphire eyes softened.

"Ah, it's that picture. Best time of my life. That is, next to marrying you." They shared smiles, "You know, Syaoran was a big idiot. Well, at least he mustered up the courage to propose to her. But that Kaito of theirs definitely has his father's eyes."

"He and Yuri-chan are gonna marry in the future, you know?" Tomoyo teasingly said. Eriol chuckled darkly.

"Never."

"I've already made her wedding dress and his tuxedo."

"…Fine." Tomoyo giggled in spite of herself.

Before leaving the room, Tomoyo gave one last glance to the photo, and the message she had for Sakura that was now erased, because that message was one she was going to say the next time they met, it wasn't going to be written until that happened.

She could just imagine it. She would run to Sakura and hug her tightly, while repeating those words over and over again so that Sakura would finally get her message:

_**Arigatou, Sakura-chan.**_

_**Kura: Well, it's done! So, how was it? This time I tried Tomoyo-chan, because her love for Sakura is so heart-warming.**_

_**Tomoyo: Aw! Sakura's son and my daughter are going to marry!**_

_**Syaoran: No way is my son marrying that four-eyed freak's kid!**_

_**Kura: Kaito and Yuri are gonna marry no matter what!**_

_**Sakura: YAY!**_

_**Hope you like it! Please tell me what you think in a review. **_

_**I'm also considering turning this into a series of one-shots. I want to know what everyone thinks about that! Please tell me whether to do it or not!**_

_**Kura**_


	2. Chapter 2: I should be saying that, baka

_**Kura: Hi everyone! So, after my finals, I'm finally done! YAY!**_

_**Syaoran: Yeah and you didn't even update any other story…**_

_**Sakura: Kura-chan was busy! Don't blame her, Syaoran-kun!**_

_**Kura: Aww how cute… Speaking of which… This one-shot is entirely S x S!**_

_**Sakura and Syaoran: O/O**_

_**Tomoyo: Ho ho! If you owned CCS, Kura-chan, then it would be so kawaii!**_

_**Kura: Arigatou, but unfortunately, I don't. *sob***_

_**Anyways, Guest: Thank you for pointing that out. To be honest, I hadn't taken that into consideration. In this story Tomoyo and Sakura are not related. Just best friends. And Li and Eriol are not related either.**_

_**Pinksugarrush: Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it! I am so happy that you liked it! Arigatou for your support!**_

_**LilyWhite13: Thank you, I'm glad that you liked the chapter!**_

_**Now, on with the story!**_

Li Syaoran, when he was 10, could only be described in one word;

_Cold._

He had always been training like his future depended on it, all his life. Every night when he would come home, his mother would look at him with sad, regretful eyes. He didn't care. Even if his whole family were to hate him, he wouldn't spare them a glance.

_Because he had a mission._

That very reason had kept him going after his father's death, through all the hardships and pain.

Finally, he was given his first real mission: to find the Card Master in Japan. After all the magic training he had endured, Syaoran felt a stab of jealousy that someone who probably wasn't even a powerful sorcerer had the cards of his ancestor, Clow Reed.

He had gone there with the sole objective of getting the cards and becoming the most powerful sorcerer in the clan. Sure, his idea of the Card Master was quite under-estimated, but seeing a small girl of his age having his cards was something he'd never have expected.

The fact that the cards belonged to a cute, emerald eyed girl with lots of overprotective friends didn't help either.

"_Li-kun! Ohayo!" Sakura came running up to him, the same annoying smile on her face. He glared at her, but she didn't back down. With a sigh, he watched the girl from his seat behind her. How a little girl like her could still be so damn happy after how he treated her was beyond him._

"_Why should I? I don't need to talk to you losers." He gruffly replied, sending her an icy glare. As usual, she responded with that smile of hers._

_He was starting to wonder if she had some mental problems._

Little had he known at that time, that later those invitations to lunch would make him feel warm inside. Staring out the window of the bus, his deep amber eyes took in the beautiful sunset, and a smile graced his face. Despite all the years that had passed, he was still a _very_ handsome man.

"_Oi! What are you doing here?!" He shouted the moment he saw her, clad in a frilly dress and cat-ears. Shaking his head, he turned his attention towards the thunder card, which was now coming closer. He would deal with that crazy girl later. _

"_L-li-kun! Stay behind me! I'll handle this!" He heard the terrified girl shout at him. With an inward scoff, he charged at the creature, and took only one second to spare her a glance and say,_

"_I'm the one who should be saying that, baka."_

It had become a long-standing joke – or in his case, a curse – between them. Kinomoto Sakura was happy, bright and cheerful. He was cold, emotionless and stoic. She would always do everything before he could, and it damaged the one thing that every man treasured; his pride.

"_Li-kun, I think that if a Clow card comes, then we can catch it by sneaking up. I'll attack, and you stay as a watch-out, okay?" She hurriedly told him as they ran through the school halls, chasing yet another card. _

_He rolled his eyes at the girl covered in frills who was running next to him. She actually thought that __**she**__ was better than __**him**__?! As if. He felt a tinge of annoyance, and the words slipped out sub-consciously;_

"_I'm the one who should be saying that, you idiot."_

He let a low chuckle escape from his lips. Those words might as well have been his catchphrase. Then again, he hadn't minded those times **that** much. The reason behind that was, whenever he would say those words, she would laugh and smile back at him with an almost blinding light.

_And for him, that light was his ray of hope._

"_Syaoran-kun!" He heard her call from behind him. Trying to hide his flushed cheeks, he walked ahead of her. It was the first time that she had called him by his first name, and the warmth wouldn't seem to go away from his cheeks. _

_When he controlled himself enough to look back at the emerald eyed beauty, who had been calling him for ages, he wished he hadn't. She was standing there, the most adorable pout on her face. He mentally cried on how it should be a crime for a girl to look so cute just by standing – and pouting, of course._

_When he came back to his senses, she was looking at him as if he was supposed to tell her something. Then he realized that he hadn't greeted her yet._

"_Gomen. Ohayo." Even after his greeting, that look didn't leave her eyes, neither did the pout. He could already feel his resolve crumbling._

"_Ohayo-?" She tilted her head to the side, a playful look in her gleaming emerald eyes._

_Oh. So that was what she wanted._

"_Ohayo, S-s-akura." Running to class, he took deep breaths, trying to get the red tint on his cheeks to disappear._

_Just __**what**__ was wrong with him these days?_

Whenever he saw plants on the way, his mind would instantly think '_That green color looks so dull compared to Sakura's eyes…'_ With a sigh, he leaned back against his seat, memories running like a movie through his head…

"_Syaoran-kun, graduation day is almost here, nee?" She smiled sadly at him, and it made his heart ache just looking at that lonely expression on her face. In front of their friends, she would smile like there was nothing bothering her. But when it was just the two of them, she would show all of her true feelings to him. It made him feel special, like he had a special place in her heart. _

_If only my importance to her was more than just friendship._

_After finishing middle school, Li Syaoran had realized the truth. He was in love with Kinomoto Sakura. He loved to see every side of her; her smiles, her laughs, her anger, her tears… He loved it all. And he was proud._

_Sadly, for him and every other boy in their high school, Sakura was hopelessly dense. Even if someone openly flirted with her, she didn't even notice. Because of that, many guys had given up on capturing the heart of this cute girl – maybe the fact that she had Kinomoto Touya as an older brother contributed to their fear._

"_Um… Sakura… Can I tell you something after the ceremony?" He asked quietly, but she still heard, and flashed him a dazzling smile._

"_Sure! I have something to tell to Syaoran-kun as well!" She waved at him and ran off to her class. His mind was still numb, the sight of her smile paralyzing him. His chests ached when he realized that after what he'd tell her, that smile would never be directed at him again…_

"_Kinomoto Sakura!"_

_Syaoran's expression was as stony as ever, but when Sakura went bouncing up the stairs, a triumphant grin on her face, he smiled. He was proud of her, for growing up, for graduating, and for becoming the most wonderful person he had ever known._

"_Li Syaoran!" He was called after Sakura went down the stairs, diploma in hand. Standing up, he confidently walked towards the stage. When he turned around to face the crowd, the faces of everyone else seemed to disappear from his sight. There she sat, shining with that inner light of hers, and for the first time Li Syaoran realized that he had fallen – if that was possible - even more in love with her. All that from that expression of hers, that warm, proud smile on her face and the small tears collecting in her eyes._

_At that moment he knew that for him, his future was nothing without Kinomoto Sakura._

"_Sakura…" He tried to speak, but no words came out. Looking up at her concerned eyes, he distracted himself but thrusting a button into her hands, all the while mumbling something about 'saving it for her'. Looking up, he saw her eyes fill with tears. This was his last moment. He had to say it._

"_Sakura, I-"_

"_Syaoran, I want to tell you something first…" She interrupted him, looking up with those mesmerizing eyes._

"_Okay…"_

"_First, I'm going to America." Syaoran felt a sudden stabbing pain, which made his chest constrict and his mind race with thoughts. She was going to leave, she was going to-_

_Once again he was interrupted, this time by her soft lips pressing against his own. Frozen, he watched her step back and lovingly smile at him. _

"_Second, I love you, Li Syaoran."_

With a small smile on his face, he stepped out of the bus. The spring winds ruffled his already messy hair, but he continued walking. Reaching his destination, he took a moment to appreciate, probably for the hundredth time, the beauty of the cherry blossom tree in front of him which was in full bloom. Watching a flower as it landed gracefully in his palm, his eyes softened. It was beautiful.

_Though, no cherry blossom could be more beautiful than his Sakura._

_Pumping his legs to move faster, he ran at top speed towards his destination. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins as he ran past the guards and crossed the large parking lot, once again wondering why he even let Mei Ling take his car for the day. With a mental note to never let his cousin drive his car again, he ran to the lobby where he was instantly met with a huge crowd. _

_At the moment, he didn't care about anyone else as he pushed through the crowds, making his way to the place where the airplane had already landed._

_When the person he had been waiting for, for five years, stepped out, he heard the loud screams and cheers of the people. With a small grimace, he walked towards the plane, but when her eyes met his the adrenaline hadn't left yet, and he ran towards her. Holding her in his arms, he lifted her up as if she was as light as a feather – which, to be honest, she was – and kissed her with longing evident in his emotions._

_She, of course, returned the gesture with equal – if not more – amounts of passion. Cameras flashed from behind them, but they could care less. Right now, they were with each other, and nothing else mattered. Releasing her at last to hold her close, he whispered in her ear,_

"_It's a shame that you're so popular… Looks like I'll have to drag you away so that we can be alone…"_

_His heart warmed at the sight of her wide grin._

_Sitting under a cherry blossom tree, they sat in a comfortable silence. Hands intertwined, they took in as much of each other as they could, the changes in their featured over the time span of five years…_

_Letting go of her hand, Syaoran's heart warmed at the lonely and longing pout on her face. Sitting in front of Sakura, he smiled at her. _

"_Kinomoto Sakura, I love you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me…" He watched her eyes become glassy, and the next thing he knew she had tackled him down in a hug. Flashing him that smile that had captured his heart more than six years ago, she hugged him tighter and exclaimed,_

"_Syaoran-kun, marry me!" _

_It took him a second to process what she had just said to him. Sakura pouted adorably at him, watching with curious eyes the spectacle before her. Syaoran was chuckling madly, his laughter making her heart skip a beat, but she stubbornly asked him, "Why are you laughing, Syaoran?"_

_Wiping the tears that had collected in the corner of his eyes from laughter, he gave her a warm smile,_

"_Because, my love, you just crushed my pride. I'm the one who should be saying that, baka."_

With a blissful sigh he stood at the place where they had sat together so many years ago, under this very tree. Tracing the lines on the bark of the tree, his glassy eyes looked down at the headstone before him. Kneeling down, he placed a ring in front of it. It had an amber colored stone, which was surrounded by emeralds. On the sides, sakura flower-shaped pink diamonds glittered in the sunshine.

"This belongs to you; and you only." He spoke softly, tracing the writing on the headstone. When his hand rested over the name, his eyes filled unshed tears and his heart ached. Pain flooded through him, but he didn't flinch. He would be strong.

Resting his head on the stone, he said, "You know, Kaede looks exactly like you… Kaito was so proud to have a little sister…" When a gentle breeze blew by, as if comforting him, he let the tears spill down his cheeks, onto the stone. He knew what message was sent to him through the wind. _You're an amazing father…_

Clenching his teeth, he tried hard not to make his voice crack, "I've tried. I tried so hard to be a father that they could be proud of…" Lifting his head from the stone, his now sad, vulnerable eyes watched the cherry blossom petals fall on top of the grave.

With a small gasp, he watched the letters form from the petals. At the end of the sentence, there was a single flower sitting there. With a cracked chuckle, he read the words out loud.

"_I miss you_, huh? I'm the one who should be saying that, idiot." His voice was full of nothing but longing and sadness as a single tear fell onto the flower. Standing up, he sent the grave one last glance before walking away.

What Syaoran hadn't noticed was the translucent figure which stood before the grave. Her long brown hair blew around with the wind as her hand passed through the flower on the ground. Another tear, this time her own, fell onto the flower as well. Her emerald green eyes were sad, as she gave a small smile to the headstone before disappearing into thin air, as if she had never been there in the first place.

Yet there was still one thing that both lovers, drowned in their grief, had missed. Carved onto the bark of the cherry blossom tree was a message, which, had it been read, would have left both lovers astounded.

On the headstone of the grave, which had separated the two lovers, was written:

_Li Sakura_

_1-4-1987_

_A beloved wife and mother_

Beneath it, hidden by the soil was;

'_Fate joins two people together,_

_The red string never breaks,_

_Have faith, _

_Because Fate can join together in many ways…'_

_**Kura: Hi everyone! Hope you liked this chapter! I worked hard on this one, and it's a sad story (if you exclude the earlier fluffiness)… :'( **_

_**Tomoyo: Let's see who can guess what the Fates will do to join Syaoran and Sakura? **_

_**Syaoran and Sakura: O/O**_

_**Kura: Whew, they're out cold. Didn't know that some fluffiness could do that to them…**_

_**Touya: WHAT IS THIS CHAPTER?!**_

_**Kura: You already lost to your sister in '**_**First Time**_**' so I'd suggest that you calm down…**_

_**Yukito: Gomen, Kura-san. I'll take him away.**_

_**Kura: Okay. So, how was this chapter? Gomen nasai once more for updating late!**_

_**Please review and tell me what you think!**_

_**~Kura**_


	3. Chapter 3: Stolen Heart

Before this wonderful story enfolds, let me ask all of you male readers; _if you happen to know a girl since childhood, and she just happens to be extremely pretty and polite, and she is around your age, would you hate her? _Most of the male population on this planet will probably say no.

That wasn't the case with a certain Li Kaito, apparently.

Ever since he was little, he would be in the company of his mother's best friend's daughter. His dear okaa-san seemed to think that they were destined to be together, and so did Tomoyo, his mother's best friend. But there was just one tiny problem for the two matchmaking ladies.

_Li Kaito absolutely __**loathed **__Hiiragizawa Yuri._

Now most people would be baffled that such a well-mannered boy such as himself would openly loathe someone so polite. Well, reality can be harsh. Many times when he refused to go visit _that girl_, his mother would fake sob in mock horror, muttering to herself about how, 'Mine and Tomoyo-chan's plans are destroyed!' His father, who would be watching from the sidelines, would sigh and comfort his wife. But Kaito had one tiny bit of hope left: when his father would comfort his mother, there would be a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

On one such occasion he had asked his otou-san why he would have such a… _gleeful _look his face. His father's reply was a dark chuckle that made him feel eerily suspicious and the vague words of, "Oh, it's nothing Kaito, I was just thinking about a bet that I had made." He had wisely not prodded further.

Regarding _that girl_, he would admit that she was good-looking, with her amethyst eyes and sapphire hair, but he had never really had any interest in girls. Looking back, he probably had his father to blame for that.

"_Kaito," His otou-san, Li Syaoran, had told him one day, "If you want to be a strong man you need to remember one thing: women are evil. They can lead a man along for years, make the strongest of men lose control, and can be totally oblivious about their effect on men. Remember, your greatest treasure is your pride, as a Li and as a man. That's why you should never let a girl crush that pride. Also-"_

_His father's lecture was promptly cut off by his mother who had been listening to their conversation. She playfully glared at her husband who was massaging the spot on his head where she had hit him. "Honey, I understand that you still hold a grudge against me but that does not mean that you should try to heal your wounded pride through our __**son**__," She spoke, emerald eyes gleaming, "All I did was propose first, no big deal." _

_While his father tried to argue and was once again hit by his mother, Kaito came to a conclusion that all women are scary creatures._

A smile found its way to his lips as he remembered how his father had to apply ice to his head for about a week. He was brought back to reality by a small hand clasping itself around his. Looking down, his hazel eyes met the sparkling turquoise eyes of his baby sister, Kaede. He didn't trust women, but if he had to choose a perfect girl, his 8 year old mind would compare them to his cute little sister.

Kaede, in all honesty, put angels to shame. Her short chestnut hair, with auburn streaks, and her bright, large turquoise eyes accompanied by her porcelain skin made it evident that if she was so beautiful as a 1 year old, by the time she was an adult, she would be breathtaking.

When she had been brought home from the hospital, he had felt a tinge of childish jealousy at the attention she was receiving from their parents. But that had disappeared into thin air the moment his mother leaned down in front of him and let him hold the small bundle of joy. When the baby's eyes slowly opened, he was frozen as she let out a small smile and laughs.

From that moment on, he cherished his sister more than anything. Had his uncle Touya seen this heartwarming moment, he would have felt proud.

Now, once again, for all you female readers; _if you happened to know a very handsome, well-mannered boy since childhood and you two grew up together, would you like him? _And once again, it is clear that most of you will say yes.

But strangely enough, Hiiragizawa Yuri would have grimaced and said no. Why, you ask? The answer is simple.

_Because she __**hated**__ Li Kaito with a burning passion._

To clear any misunderstandings, Yuri was raised by Daidoji Tomoyo and Hiiragizawa Eriol, and the couple believed that one should always be polite and patient. These morals were passed onto their daughter, thus Hiiragizawa Yuri grew up to be a polite, well-spoken young girl. But fate needed to have it's fun; and, ironically, the two of them who had grown up together had mutual feelings of hate.

Yuri knew that her mother had always wanted her to be together with _that boy_, call it a woman's intuition. But, despite the fact that she would never want to disappoint her okaa-san, she could never bring herself to _like_ that obnoxious, loud-mouthed, annoying little boy. Sure, he_ was _good-looking, having hazel eyes and auburn hair, but she wouldn't be charmed by just looks like those other girls. She took pride in her maturity, being one year older than him.

But perhaps, the only thing that really tied them together was their love for the adorable little Kaede. The little girl had instantly captured her heart, and Yuri thought of the little Li as if she were her own sister. Whenever Kaito would come over with Kaede (forced by their parents on Kaito's part) she would brighten up at the prospect of being able to play with the delightful 1 year old, but would shoot Kaito death glares whenever she could.

And that was how their lived were for 4 years. Hate, loathing, and mutual love for a certain little Li. It was a daily routine for them to meet and openly have a glaring contest, to compete for top position in class only to tie in the end, and to slowly form a strange bond through loathing. Now 13 years old, Yuri felt like an adult, and would always take the opportunity to tease Kaito about how _she_ was a teenager but _he_ was still 12. Oh yes, they never changed, and their mothers would drown in their crushed dreams of them getting married, while their fathers would try to hide the victorious look in their eyes.

Looking back, she wondered just _when _did a foreign feeling mix into the hate she felt for him? Now, it was more of a rivalry between the two, not a burning loathing as it had been for so long. Even on the days when they would have huge fights and would shout at each other, it wasn't there, that hate she had felt when she was little. It was weird; she even looked back onto those moments with a smile on her face.

He wanted to scream, he really did. What had happened to him? He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a strange feeling accompanying the hate he had felt for Yuri. Over a span of 4 years, he had even become _slightly __**civil **_to her?! It hadn't crossed his mind until his okaa-san had pointed it out one day.

"_Wow Kaito, I'm impressed. To think that you'd actually be friendly with Yuri-chan! I'm so happy!" His mother had gushed one day while they were returning from a dinner with the Hiiragizawa family. _

_Little Kaede giggled softly, happy to see her okaa-san in such high spirits that she didn't notice how her Onii-chan's face had paled._

If Kaito could turn back time, he would go to the time when all of this started and stop any of this _mess_ from happening. The frustration he felt whenever they tied in class was now feeling more like a rivalry than outright hatred for the girl. Of course, it didn't help that at the age of 13, Yuri was becoming prettier day by day. He was also growing to be very handsome, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he had actually _thought_ once, for one fleeting moment, that she was _beautiful_!

This was going to be a big problem.

As the two continued to ponder over these new feelings with agony, disgust, and confusion, one thing didn't change, rather it grew. That was – yes, you guessed it – their love for Kaede. Now that she was 5 years old, both of them competed over who would play with her. To their parents, this was quite amusing and entertaining.

Then on one fateful day, something occurred that would forever change their lives. It had been a warm, summer morning, and their parents had asked them to take Kaede to the summer festival. They would have refused, had it not been for the pouting, begging look Kaede had sent them. Then they got ready like they couldn't wait to go.

Stepping out her room, Kaede went down the stairs to meet Yuri and Kaito. She was wearing a light blue kimono with a light pink Sakura flowers design (courtesy of Tomoyo, of course.) Her chestnut hair with auburn streaks that now reached her shoulders was tied into a bun on top of her head, a Sakura blossom hair ornament and light blue pearls in her hair. Altogether the outfit did well to accent her turquoise eyes and porcelain skin. Yuri had squealed much like her mother when she saw the cute little girl.

"Oh Kaede! Why do you have to be the sister of that _brute_? Why can't you be my imouto instead? You're just too cute!" She gushed, happily embracing the 5 year old. From behind them Kaito scoffed. As if he'd ever give his sister to _her_.

Walking on the road to the festival, Kaito purposely slowed down his pace to match Kaede's, whereas Yuri was happily sprinting ahead, but not too far. She wasn't wearing a kimono, despite Tomoyo's protests, and instead had donned a cute white blouse with a dark blue bow at the collar. She wore a checkered navy blue skirt with black lace peeping out from underneath accompanied by knee-length white socks and a pair of midnight blue ankle boots. Her hair was left open, the sapphire tresses cascading down her back and stopping at her mid-back with small curls at the ends. Some bracelets with silver moons and stars were covering her wrists and together, all of these accented her sparkling amethyst eyes.

Kaito mentally scolded himself for staring at her. Even if she _did _look _okay_ didn't mean that he should stare. He was wearing more casual clothes, a black jacket on top of a short sleeved white shirt and dark blue jeans with black boots. His hazel eyes stood out, and the mixture of emerald and amber in his eyes was captivating.

"Yay, we're here!" Kaede and Yuri exclaimed in unison when they reached their destination. Brightly colored lamps and lights decorated the place full of game stalls where people were either grinning in victory or lamenting their defeat. The mouth-watering aroma of food seemed to fill the place. It was their first time at a festival, and the three of them were captivated, though Kaito managed to hide his excitement well.

"Look, look! That plush toy is so cute! I want it!" Yuri exclaimed, skipping happily like a child to the game stall. She didn't even notice the stares she received from some boys. Turning around, she flashed Kaito her best puppy face, "Please, please, please get it for me?" Surprising both of them, Kaito agreed to her request. Her face had been so cute, and he could help but comply with her request-

Shaking his head, Kaito tried to hide the pink tint on his cheeks by playing the game and winning it fabulously. Holding the golden haired cat plush toy with wings in one arm, his eyes squinted as he searched the crowd for Yuri and Kaede. When he couldn't spot them, he started to mingle in the crowd, hazel eyes searching everywhere for the two girls.

Eventually he heard a familiar voice, but chills ran down his spine when he heard the fear in her voice. Pushing past people in the crowd, he growled as his eyes took in the scene before him. Yuri was standing there, her face contorted in pain as a teenage boy, probably around 18, held onto her wrist. Two others were standing near him, disgusting grins on their ugly faces. His body moving on its own, he freed Yuri from the man's grasp before delivering a powerful kick to his stomach. The man doubled over in pain, but Kaito quickly elbowed him on the back of his neck and stepped back to let the unconscious man drop to the ground. The other two reacted quickly, attacking him at the same time. He swiftly delivered the first one a right hook to his neck and at the same time kneed the other one on the gut. In a few seconds, all the three of them were out cold on the ground before him.

Turning back to Yuri, his mind came back to reality. The relief that she was okay was quickly gone and replaced with fear. "… Where's Kaede?" He spoke, eyes wide in horror. As Yuri's mind processed the information her eyes also widened in horror. Kaede was missing, and in such a big crowd, finding her would be impossible. Both of them didn't waste any time and, with a sort of mutual understanding, ran in separate ways, only one objective in mind: to find Kaede.

Li Kaito had always tried to keep himself composed, like his father did. He had to assume the calmness of an adult so that people wouldn't underestimate him. That was his moral of-sorts. But at that moment morals could be damned. He couldn't find Kaede, _his baby sister was lost_, and there was nothing he could do about it. Pushing through the crowd, panic slowly consumed him. His journey had led him to the other entrance to the festival, and stepping out of the bustling crowds and into the cold night air, he met an equally panicked Yuri.

"I-I couldn't find her anywhere…" Yuri spoke slowly, eyes pricking from unshed tears. With a broken heart she watched Kaito fall to his knees. Afraid that he might have been hurt from the previous quarrel, she knelt in front of him. What she saw left her speechless. Kaito was silently crying, his tears dripping onto the pavement.

Her hand, that was reaching out to comfort him, suddenly froze as she heard what he was saying. "What… kind… of brother… am…I?" His shaky voice spoke in between sobs. Yuri's calmness disappeared, and without any hesitation she reached out and embraced him. Surprised, Kaito went stiff and Yuri loosened her grip on him as she smiled at him, a stray tear escaping her eyes.

"It's going to be alright. We have to be calm, we're the adults. You're the best nii-san Kaede could ever wish for. I know. You know her better than me. I might wish for her to be my sister, but you two have a bond stronger than any other," She stood up and offered him her hand, determination in her eyes.

"Come on, we'll definitely find her, Kaito-kun." Her silhouette as she stood there with confidence was so stunning and captivating that Kaito momentarily forgot her use of his first name. Reaching out, as her hand held his and pulled him up; Kaito felt a warm feeling in his heart. Her determination was contagious, and soon they were running around the area, hand-in-hand.

By the time they reached the lake that was near the festival, they were panting. Despite how tired they were, there was a burning flame in their eyes. Both of them looked at the bridge on top of the lake but saw nothing. Suddenly Kaito noticed a small flash from under the bridge. He ignored Yuri's shouts and let go of her hand, running to the bridge before jumping into the icy water.

Before, when Yuri had hugged him and held his hand, she had felt like an adult for once. For once, _she_ was the one who Kaito could depend on. She had realized that all this time, unconsciously, she had been relying on him as her pillar of hope. But now, watching him come out of the water, gasping for air, she understood. He was someone she could always turn to, and that knowledge made her feel light and happy.

Breaking into a sprint, she jumped into the water in much the same way that he had done. The icy water made her feel numb, but right now that was the least of her worries. Swimming to where Kaito was, she saw the angry look on his face.

"You're crazy! Jumping in ice cold water, do you wanna die?!" He looked so unsure, so scared yet frustrated that she couldn't help the warm smile from appearing on her face.

"We've been together since we were born," She spoke, swimming closer to him, "We grew up together," Her hands reached out and tried to grasp something from under the bridge. "We tied in class together," Pulling on it; she realized that it was a piece of cloth that was stuck. Kaito quickly came and helped her, "That's why," Her eyes gazed into his, a grin on her face as she carefully freed the trapped person from the rocks.

"We're in this together." Carefully, they guided the figure out from under the bridge, revealing a soaking wet Kaede. As Kaito and her both swam to the shore, he heard her last words.

"Wherever you go, I go. Wherever you are, I am."

As they made sure that Kaede was safe and that she wasn't feeling too cold, Kaito's mind kept repeating what she had told him earlier. Kaede had been looking for them when she found this lake. Standing on the bridge, her hair ornament had fallen into the water. In her attempts to find it, she had reached a part of land under the bridge. Her kimono had gotten stuck in between some rocks, and she had waited there, scared, until they found her.

As they both hugged her in relief and joyful tears were shed, Kaito was smiling as they led her back home, wearing some of Yuri's spare clothes. But when they reached his home, he felt something strange again. Amidst the relief of finding his sister, there was a new feeling.

_For that one hectic night, he felt admiration for the girl who was only one year older than him._

_But, at that time when she had spoken those words, he felt as if his heart had been stolen._

"_Nee, Otou-san; how did you and Okaa-san fall in love?"_

"_We hated each other at first. Then, one night, when I had panicked over losing my sister, she comforted me. When we found her, she had told me that we would always be together._

_**At that moment, she had captured my heart.**__"_

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Hello everyone! :) Your wonderful, late-updating author is back! Ha-ha, really, sorry for not updating for a long time. But that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate all of the kindness you all have bestowed upon me. I feel so happy whenever any of you review; it makes me want to just hug all of you. :')**_

_**Enough of my sentimental stuff now. Thank you so much for the reviews, favs, and follows. You guys make me feel so happy. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. Here's a request, could anyone please volunteer to beta-read my stuff? Yeah this must sound selfish, but I'm in need of help. Sorry to be a bother.**_

_**So, since Yuri and Kaito seemed to have quite the good impact on you guys, I dedicated this chapter to them. 6 pages, I think this is a good work done :D **_

_**But of course, that depends on you guys, so please review and tell me if this chapter – albeit fluffy – was satisfactory for you all. Even a 'Good job!' is enough.**_

_**Your sentimental author,**_

_**Kura**_


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